Makosh was worshiped by the Slavs almost more than all the other Goddesses. In Kiev, on the temple, built by Prince Vladimir, her sculpture was next to the images of the Male Gods.
In this case, we can draw an analogy with the revered Christians Mary Magdalene, the only one of the women who is considered equally apostolic.
Goddess Makosh is the eldest of the three Goddesses who were once revered in Russia . Often she is depicted with a ball in her hands. The remaining two Spinning Goddesses are her daughters, Share and Nedol. According to the ideas of the ancient Slavs, depending on the righteousness of man, Makosh sends one of them to him. To good people comes Share, to bad - Nedol.
Goddess Makosh is considered the patroness of all women, fertility and needlework. Young girls once asked her to send a groom. The married women asked for the preservation of the husband, easy delivery and the health of the children. In addition, it was Makoshi who prayed for a good harvest. She patronized wealth in the house.
Until now, researchers of ancient Slavic culture did not agree on how the name of this goddess actually sounds. It is called differently: Makosh, Mokosh, Mokusha, Mokush, Mokushka, etc. According to some scholars, it is her name that owes its name to the current capital of our state - Moscow.
Goddess Makosh was often depicted in sculptures. For their manufacture used female wood species. Most often it was an aspen. At the same time, the Goddess appeared before the viewer in the form of an ordinary woman with long arms, who was holding a spindle in her hands. It was believed that with this tool she weaves human destinies.
The legacy of the Goddess Makosh is not forgotten in our days. For example, 12 laws are known by which she ordered people to live. Here are some of them: do not make excuses, do not envy, do not shift your own responsibility to other people, do not do someone else's work, do not be afraid of defeat, etc.
At the moment, having looked through the pages of electronic magazines or the corresponding forums, you can even purchase an interesting book containing a description of ancient Slavic rites. It is believed that she can fulfill wishes. The book “Legacy of the Goddess Makosh” costs about 500 rubles, and anyone who is interested in the culture and history of their country can buy it.
With the adoption of Christianity, the
ancient Slavic Gods were forgotten. Including the Goddess Makosh. However, the influence of the ancient pagan ideas about the Universe is very strongly traced in Orthodox Christian teaching. Many Gods and Goddesses have their own analogues in the new teaching. So, the
goddess Lada-woman in childbirth can be compared with the Virgin. Makosh herself, as mentioned above, with Magdalene, etc. In this regard, of course, one cannot fail to note the strong influence of paganism on the formation of Christianity in our country.
Many of the qualities of the Goddess Makoshi can even be considered masculine in some ways: strength and changeability of character, courage, endurance, ability to fight for her happiness (remember Magdalene, the only disciple of Christ who did not refuse him during the crucifixion). However, all this is perfectly balanced in her by purely feminine traits - housekeeping, a love of order, the ability to cook well and hard work.